


Warmaster

by Mondfalter



Category: Horus Heresy - Various Authors, Warhammer 40.000
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Horus Needs a Hug, Horus is a Good Dad, No Smut, One Big Happy Family, wholesome stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:07:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24838906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mondfalter/pseuds/Mondfalter
Summary: After the Lunar Wolves fought against a rebelling world, Horus fells the need to proof that he is a good dad. The Mournival approves!
Relationships: Horus/Mournival, Horus/Sanguinius (WH40K)
Kudos: 12





	Warmaster

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry for my bad English writing skills. v.v

The secret to be the perfect leader was to know exactly who to put in which position on what time. To always know who the best for the job was. To know who needed to be ensured and who needed to be reminded of their place. To know who needed a mission in this moment and who should get a break. Over the years Horus Lupercal became quit an expert in this field.  
Of course, he had started as a learner. With only nine standard years old, he was found by the emperor and taken to Terra. He was a child, lacking knowledge and experience, in the body of a grown man. Not even a normal grown man but in the body of a demigod. Most of the time, he had not felt like a grown man.  
He was raised on Cathonia, a dirty planet, lacking future and moral. His caretakers have been part of a gang with a big knowledge of drugs and guns. They had told him how to win a gang war, how to fight and how to spread fear amongst his following. But when he had met the emperor, Horus immediately know, that all these teachings have been crap. Of course, the emperor himself had told him a lot of tricks, gave him advice when he had asked him about a problem that appeared or just got to his mind, but he had also observed him. Naturally he had a talent for that kind of things and thereby Horus had only to sharpen his skills. Now he himself was a master.  
He was the leader of the Lunar Wolves and, without lies, he was quite good at it. The Space Marines loved him and followed without questions, the crews on the ships were at his command at any time and the guardsman never quested his orders. Some said, that this was just because he was a primarch. Because he was huge and had a presence that overwhelmed simply everyone. Horus always laughed at this statement, knowing it was not true.  
It was always times like this, the journey between two conquest, that needed the most actions. The first one this time was Abaddon, his first captain. A huge guy, a bit moody but with very good combat skills. The journeys always hit him because he was a fighter. The kind of fighter that got lost in the fights and feel lost without them. Horus had just gotten into the bathtub, laid back and enjoyed the warmth surrounding him, when the door opened.  
“Warmaster”, Abaddon said loud. “I need your advice.”  
Horus suppressed a sigh and looked at his son. Abaddon was in his war gear, making him even larger, than he already was. Only the fact that everything in Horus private chambers were made for a giant, allowed him to even pass the door. “Well, how can I help you?”  
“I was thinking”, Abaddon started, his voice full of excitement. “We have a lot of new guys in the first. Some of them never went to war in a Terminator amour. I think we should train in one on one combat in the amour. Or maybe three on one… Anyways the servitors just don’t do it.”  
“I can see your point”, Horus answered. “Do you want me to check your trainings plan?”  
“It would be an honour!” Abaddon nodded.  
“Or, maybe, we should try it first-hand?”, Horus suggested with a smile.  
Abaddon seemed to be confused for a moment. His body stiffed and he asked: “You mean… we try it? You and I?”  
“Yes”, Horus nodded. “Actions show more than theories, I guess. Just give me a few minutes to clean myself and get my bodyglove for me.”  
“Of course!” Abaddon was happy and turned away to hush off. After two steps he suddenly stopped and turned to his gene-sire again. His ears were red now. “I hope it was not inappropriate to interrupt your bathing session, Sir.”  
“Don’t worry”, Horus answered simply. Of course, was it inappropriate to enter his bathroom without invitation or even allowance. He needed a few moments for himself too. But now was it too late anyways and Horus had learned very early, that sometimes he had to put the wellbeing of his sons before his own.  
Reassured, Abaddon left the room and started his quest to get his father’s bodyglove. Horus finally sighed and grabbed the soap.  
A few minutes later, Abaddon returned, happily presenting the bodyglove and willing to help his warmaster out of the tube. He didn’t need help at all, simply stood up, grabbed a bath towel and got out of the water. Luckily, he was lacking any hair, that would need to get dried. His first captain waited patiently and admired silent his perfect body.  
Finally, he took the bodyglove and pulled it over his body. He looked at Abaddon and stated: “It feels far too long since the last time I got in amour for a fight.”  
“It hasn’t been a week”, Abaddon answered with a smile. “But I know that feel. I train everyday but it is just not the same. I’m looking forward to fight against a strong opponent like you.”  
They went to Horus bedroom and entered the space where his amours and weapons were stored. Horus selected his usual Terminator amour for rough fights and Abaddon helped him getting into it.  
“I think, I will leave the furs behind for today. Don’t want you to rip them”, he mattered.  
“Don’t worry, I just could go gentle”, Abaddon suggested.  
“Please not, we want to try your training plan, remember? Give me your full strength.”  
Abaddon nodded and the excitement let his eyes light. “Everything for you, Warmaster.”

As always, the training room was not empty when they arrived. Everyone stopped there training immediately after Horus’ arrival and looked at him. He gave them a smile. “Good to see, that many of my sons train for the upcoming fights. The wolves should never rest too long or their tooth’s will get blunt.”  
The hall got filled with the sound of the dark, loud Cathonian laughter of his space marines. Then he looked to Abaddon who adjusted his lightning claw. “Therefore, I will also give myself a bit of friendly fighting. As you were.”  
Horus worked up to a weapon holder und took a power sword. Abaddon looked at his choice and commented: “Normally you fight with a claw or a mace.”  
“I just want to higher your chances. We should try your plan for a bit. Would be a shame if it ended to fast.” Horus pointed a free training spot. He knew, that he could claim any spot for himself and Abaddon knew that too.  
“Why not take a larger spot?”, he asked.  
“This one will do fine as well”, he answered and walked over, his son at his side. Then he lowered his voice. “We don’t need to demonstrate our power and rang right now. Let the others train as well.”  
“You are very kind, warmaster!” There was something displeased in Abaddon’s voice. Horus did know that his first captain always tried to display his power and authority. As a child of a Cathonian gang leader this was not surprising.  
“I love all my sons”, he stated. “And I care for all of them. From the first captain to the smallest aspirants. Therefore, I treat all of you with respect or not? But enough of the talking, lets fight.”  
He did not have to asked Abaddon a second time. The capitaine raised his claw and jumped towards his gene-sire. With ease countered Horus the attack, hint that he would try to push his sword through the metal claw and stab Abaddon. His captain took the feint rose his hand to prevent the move. Just as Horus had expected. He moved forward and rammed his shoulder against Abaddon. His first capitaine fall to the ground and the sound of his fall echoed through the hall. Horus didn’t need to look up to know, that everyone looked at them, despite to see their gene-sire fight and wanting to bath in his presents.  
There fight contained for some time, making him sweat and wishing for another bath -uninterrupted this time-. He allowed Abaddon to place some god hits and tried to collect specifically situations where his opponent needed to move, knowing that this was the hardest part for a man in a terminator amour. He ended the fighting season as he started it, with Abaddon on the ground. This time he got to his side and helped him up.  
“It was a good fight”, he said and smiled at his son. “I hope I could give you some more inspiration for the training.”  
“Indeed”, Abaddon answered. “I don’t want to ever fight you on a real battleground, Sir.”  
“Me too”, Horus said. “You are doing very good. The amour gives you not much space for moving, but you move like you would were a normal power amour. I’m proud.”  
“Thank you, Sir.” It sounded not like much, but Horus could feel, that his son was very proud.  
“Keep it up and train your fighters well.”

After a long bath, Horus decide to check what his brothers were up to. He lay relaxed on a couch and read the newest reports, when the Vox system of the room clicked. He looked up, knowing someone would want to enter his private rooms and gave the visitor a signal to enter by pressing a button on the table.  
It was Horus Aximand who shily entered the room. He looked a bit nervous and cleared his throat before he said: “I hope I’m not interrupting you, Warmaster.”  
“Not at all”, Horus answered with a smile. He could feel that this son was bothered by something, which was not unusual for him. He sat up straight and signalled his son to take a seat as well. Little Horus hesitated a moment before moving to another couch. He was still young and had only recently joined his Mournival.  
“I… need your guidance”, he started to explain his visit. “After the last fights I questioned myself… I can still not understand… Why did those people rebel?”  
Horus nodded and got up. He took two glasses from the cupboard and grabbed a bottle of wine. “I see. It’s a difficult question. Some people just don’t see the wrongs in their doings.”  
“I know”, Aximand said and looked at his gene-sire “We fought against many humans during the years. People that allied with Xeons, people to refuse the teachings of the emperor and the imperial truth… But those people just didn’t understand the glory and wisdom of the emperor, beloved by all.”  
“Right”, the warmaster agreed and gave one of the filled glasses to his son and sat next to him. Little Horus first was confused but adjusted fast to his proximity. This was always a game to him. His space marines loved his presence and where kind of addicted to his aura. Specially the younger ones troubled to hold the respectful distance. His aura felt comforting to them, even to the point that they could regenerate better from battle wounds in his presence but on the other hand, they got nervous, not knowing what to do, even intimidated.  
“The people we fought… they had been part of the imperium.” Little Horus looked at his glass.  
“I wish, I could explain their actions to you”, the warmaster said. “It’s confusing, even to me. Those people thought it would be better to be on their own.”  
“But if one doesn’t serve the emperor, beloved by all, why is it worth living at all? Serving him, and you, is all my live. All I ever wanted.” The Astartes looked up to him and Horus looked deep into the worried eyes for a long moment.  
“Do you think, we shouldn’t have fought them?”, Horus asked.  
“No, it was the right thing to do. But… Is there no other way? Is there not an easy way to bring them back into the light or the imperial truth?”  
Horus leaned over to him and pulled him to his chest. Aximand bowed his head and lean into the soft fur on his primarchs shoulders. First, he was surprised but then Horus could feel how the two hearts of his son slowed down.  
“I fear there is no easy way”, he said softly. “We can’t understand all those people. They have lived a long time without the light of the emperor and some of them might think, that those where better times. I see why you are troubled.”  
“I shouldn’t be”, Little Horus answered, his head still resting in the fur. “You expect us to be strong. To have no doubts about our way.”  
“Do you have doubts about severing the emperor? About serving me?”  
“Never“, Little Horus answered and looked up to his gene-sire. “I will always follow you. I know you will never fail me.”  
Horus Lupercal smiled at him and lay his big hands on his back. “I expected no less of you, Aximand. You are silent when the others are loud. But in your silence, you ask the questions others refuse to think about. I told all of you to learn about things that are not involved in war and you’re one of the best pupils within the legion in this field. At least this is what I have been told.”  
“And still…” Aximand took a sip of his wine. He doesn’t want to say it out loud.  
“They call you little Horus because we share some looks, because you speak in the same accent in our mother tongue, not because I belittle you”, Horus said.  
“I know”, his son sighed. “I just wished I would be stronger in my minds if it comes to this. Like Abaddon is. Like you are.”  
“I love all of my sons and I’m very happy to have my little Horus just how he is. With all his troubles, all his thoughts and all his patients to speak up at the right time.” The warmaster put his glass on the table and pulled his son in a hug. And with his need to cuddle, he added in his thoughts.

On the next day circle, Horus decided to check on another Mournival member. Tarik Torgaddon was unnatural quiet in the last days. He had been wounded, was on the Medicae but had been released into the wild of the ship several days ago. Of course, he had sent his reports but still… normally there would have been more contact. Tarik was a lot of things, but not quiet.  
He found him on the way to the trainings room and invited him to a casual talk in his office. Of cause TariK didn’t refuse a wish from his gene-sire and followed him. Of cause TariK didn’t followed him quit. “It’s good to see you again, Sir. Feels like I have been ages in the Medicae. Almost like I’m on a different ship.”  
“The climate dropped a bit”, the warmaster agreed. He saw to the sides and could clearly feel that his man still suffered a loose of moral.  
“True, even you seem a bit different than usual. Did you do something with your hair?” Horus, bald as always, laughed loud. Some of the people in the hallways looked at them in surprise and also fear.  
“Not at all”, he than answered. “I’m just happy to see you healed and back on my side.”  
“I tried my best”, Torgaddon nodded. “But the whole laying around thing is quite okay for a while. Have you tried it?”  
“In the past, I did.” Horus smiled down to him. “But I guess things would get a bit out of line if I would disappear for more than one hour.”  
“Fair point”, Torgaddon smiled back at him. “Being a father does not allow someone to take a day of, I guess. Specially because your forced to be a single parent to over 150.000 man.”  
“I saw in the report that your company had suffered severe losses”, Horus stated and gave him a considerate look. Torgaddon looked away and nodded again.  
“Good man”, he said before clearing his throat. “I already started the selection process to get the company to the right size again.”  
“I know, I saw the data”, Horus answered.  
“I will speed up if you…”  
“No need for this.” Horus interrupted him. “We have several weeks till we reach our destination. I just wanted to check on you…”  
“Don’t look at me like this, father”, Torgaddon whispered in a played innocent voice.  
“Tarik, please stop.” Horus shock his head but smiled. “You’re alright?”  
“I lost more than one friend”, Torgaddon suddenly got serious. He looked up and Horus nodded. “I can’t replace them but I’m fine. The emperor, beloved by all, knows their names.”  
“He does”, Horus reassured. “So do I.”  
“I know. Thank you, father.”  
Tarik didn’t have to say more to let Horus know, he felt comforted in his mourning.

„I have sent you the summary of the report.” Hastur Sejanus looked on the data pad. “I have to get to training now, after that, I will go over the selections with Tarik to make sure everything fits. After this I have a… more personal task but I make sure to be back for the meeting in time.”  
His favourite son looked at him again and Horus nodded. Favourite son… He knew he shouldn’t have one, but he allowed himself this pleasure. Not only to a small extend because the emperor himself had one too. Then he looked down and read through the work presented to him.  
“There are a few information missing”, he said and looked up again. Sejanus blinked in shock and looked down again. “I already have the reports of the Second, I will fill them in for you. If you want to add something, you can do so later. You free to go now.”  
“I’m very sorry”, Sejanus bowed his head. “I must have missed that error. I will correct it. You don’t have to be bothered with it, father.”  
“Its fine, Sejanus.” Horus gave him a smile and padded his shoulder. “You have enough tasks for today.”  
“You as well”, the capitaine interjected. “Much more than me. It was not my intention to give you more work than you already have.”  
“Don’t worry, I can take it”, Horus looked at him. “Now go to your man, Sejanus, they need you. We have suffered quite big losses for fighting against normal humans. The moral has gotten some damage. But more important, I don’t want any bad spirit against the guardsman.”  
“I see”, Sejanus agreed. “They predicted our attack and got quite a few of us. Specially from the Second. I will talk to them.”  
“And they will listen to you.” Horus nodded and put the data slide down. He took the glass on his right and sipped.  
“They will”, Sejanus agreed. “But I’m not half as perfect as they suspect me to be.”  
“You’re perfect enough, Sejanus.” Horus looked at him. Then he smiled. “I always have the fear that Fulgrim will take you with him because he mistakes you for one of his sons.”  
“Now you’re making bad jokes”, Sejanus answered and shook his head. He got up from his chair.  
“I was told, that making bad jokes is an essential part of being a good father. Therefore, Tarik’s Company should be in the best hands.”  
Sejanus laughed while he left the room, relieved that he doesn’t always have to be the perfect one.

“Brother”, Horus said delighted in the moment he heard Sanguinis voice. “I was looking forward to this talk. It is always nice to hear your voice.”  
The angle chuckled before he spoke. “The pleasure is mine, warmaster. I heard you had quite a rough time on the planet.”  
“It was different than we expected”, Horus started. “But you know how things are. In the end everything was brought to justices.”  
“Still”, the angel pointed out. “I heard you lost quite a few of your sons. I feel with you. It’s how the things go but still… it hits our feelings.”  
“I’m fine”, Horus answered. “I’m used to deal with the aftermath. The mournival was a bit off the last few days but they should be fine now. The guard is also back to normal again. Well… the mechanicum is like always.”  
“I see.”  
“But how about you?”, Horus asked. “It’s nice to have you a bit closer but… you’re stuck on this position for several months now. Are you taking your sweet time to get some company? I still can correct our course, you know.”  
“No need for this.” The voice of the angle was a bit less soft now. “We have everything under our control. We just take our time. Not everyone is all about getting fast ins and outs.”  
“Was this a critique?”  
“No”, Sanguinis answered fast. “Not at all. I enjoy it if you do it that way. You know that.”  
“And you know that I enjoy it, if you tell me that.”  
Sanguinis chuckled again. “It was not easy to get you the last few days. Are you sure that you’re fine?”  
“Of course”, Horus stated with strong voice. But deep insight him, he wished for someone to give him what he needs, to guide him through the conflicts in his mind, to comfort him in his times of mourning and to take some of the weight off his shoulders. He could not say this out loud. Those wishes made him feel weak and like a failure to the plan, the emperor subjected him to. He tried to hide these breaks in his perfection, not knowing that they would lead to his downfall.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! :)  
> Btw my friend suggested to add a smut edition of this... Would you like it?


End file.
